Pastor Ralph Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 Q27. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken7 Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 "I am a child of the King!" The Jewish nation is God's "chosen nation" with the mystery revealed; that both Jew and Gentile are part of God's family. I have been adopted with an adoption that cannot be broken. The importance is in the understanding and the acceptance of these truths from God. Praise Him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tabatha Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? Roman's 8:14 - 17 Paul uses adoption or " sonship " to illustrate the believer's new relatioship with God . In Roman culture, the adopted person lost all rights in his old family and gained all the rights of a legitimate child in his new family. He became a full HEIR to his new Father's estate. When a person becomes a Christian , he or she gains all the privileges and responsibilities of a child in God's family. We may not always feeel we belong to God, , but one of the benifits is the Holy Spirit as our witness . His inward presence reminds us of who we are and encourages us with God's love. We are the Master's Children; We are God's Children; We share in great treasures as CO- HEIRS It was important for the Gentile Christians in Paul's day to understand God has given us His best gifts; His Son, forgiveness , and eternal life, and He encourages us to ask Him for whatever we need. We will be resurrected with bodies, glorified bodies like the body Christ now has in heaven ( 1 Corinthians 15:25-58 ). We have the " firstfruits, " the first installment or down payment of the Holy Spirit as part of that inheirtance of our resurrection life. ( Ephesians 1: 14 ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? Its the fact that now the Gentile believer in Christ was a part of God's Family just like the Jews with the same promises of blessings and cursings that the patriarchs had recieved directly from God. Now they were also included as God's chosen people. It was important because till that time they were outsiders when it came to God's promise. They were second class citizens with no future life to look foward to. It made them a part of God's plan and brought to light that He had been there waiting for the proper time to bring them to His family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jezemeg Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 I believe the mystery that Paul was referring to was that God had not declared that the unbelievers amongst the Jews were not as much a part of His family as the Gentile believers were, that the Gentiles were not to consider themselves above those of their brother Jews. God has not chosen to disown His first chosen people, unlike the thinking of many even today. He has a purpose and a timing for the unbelieving Jew, and it is not our (Gentiles) place to question or demand to know why, God will reveal in His timing if it is necessary for we mortals to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCHRIS Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 the mystery is simply Christ. Colossians 1:27 states specifically that the mystery is "Christ in you, the hope of the glory", that is to say, the actual mystery, the wonderful truth that has been revealed, is that Christ comes to dwell now in the hearts of ALL people, giving the hope of a future in the immediate presence of God. it is the purpose of God to 'gather together in one all things in Christ'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickledilly Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 The word "mystery" here is from a root word related to silence. A scriptural mystery is simply something that God has not told us about before, a previously unknown revelation. This concept of salvation and equal status with God for everyone was revolutionary and certainly unheard of to the Jews. This was God's original intent for humanity, but it had been hidden, or silenced, by sin. Then the LORD had designated the Jewish nation as His chosen people and heirs of His covenant promises. And now, through the apostle Paul, the LORD was revealing His plan to reconcile Gentiles to Himself as well as Jews because of the redemptive work Christ had finished. He was revealing what had been hidden to their eyes yet was there all along. When a magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat, that rabbit was somewhere the whole time, just out of the range of vision. When the rabbit appears it seems to be a magical mystery revealed, but it is actually a well designed and executed plan to keep it hidden until just the right time. God has a plan in everything He does. Gentile Christians in Paul's day were often looked down upon. They weren't considered part of the elite "in-crowd". The Jews had all that history and those traditions of being such a special people, and they retained biases against those newly saved heathens. The revelation of this wondrous mystery of uniting Jews and Gentiles through Christ put everyone on the same level before God. Through Christ, we all have an equal share in the promises and inheritance. What an esteem builder for this Gentile! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustJeff Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 Paul's revelation of the mystery that God had manifested to Him was the incorporation of the Gentiles into His body, the welcoming of His adopted children. The Jewish people were biased toward their faith as the law had intructed them not to assimilate with Gentiles. Tradition probably carried this to the extreme causing ill feelings between the two groups. By accepting the Gentiles into His family, God threw out the welcome mat and made the Gentiles feel the same love that Adonai displays to His chosen, with eventual acceptance into the Messianic Jewish community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masika Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 The mystery was God had planned to have Jews and Gentiles comprise one body , the Church. God's plan was not revealed to previous generation , not because God wanted to keep something from His peiple , but because He would reveal it to everyone in His perfect Timing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sahala p.s. Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? The "mystery" that Paul is talking about is that Gentiles are equally the people of God with God Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warrior Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? It is the revelation of God and his plan of Salvation that can only be understood by the spirit which draws us, that which was and is revealed through God's prophets and ministers. It is important to the Gentile because it makes us all equals heirs to the Kingdom of God where under the law the Jews and Gentiles had a wall between them created by the law they were under. We are now under Grace and not under the legal system which man could not obey in full and need a sacrifice yearly by the priest to atone for the laws (sins) he broke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janet Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? The mystery that Paul is talking about is Ephesians 3:2........the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: KJV It is important to the Gentile Chrisitans in Paul's day to know that they are accepted by God and would be fellow heirs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavenlymann Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 The "mystery" is that the gentiles are joint heirs with the Jews thru Christ. One body of believers, co-equal, heirs to God's promises. It was important to Gentile Christians of Pauls day because the Jews tried to make gentiles second class citizens even in the church. Paul made it clear they were equal not inferior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Rupert Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? The mystery is that both the Gentiles and Jews are equal heirs to the kingdom. We are both God's chosen people. The Gentile and the Jews are both sharing together, co-heirs, and are of one body to the promises of Christ. This is important to the Christians in Paul's day because they have always been treated like the outsiders looking in. Now both the Gentiles and Jews are aware they both are equal heirs, who are both going to inherit together as equal heirs, the promises of Christ Jesus. But it is important not to be conceited, not to boast, not to judge the believing or the non-believing Jews because they will all be saved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissioned Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? The "mystery" was that no longer was the Jews the only heirs and partakers of the promise in Christ as given in the Gospel; the Gentiles also had rights to be partakers of the same promise. Gentiles are equally the people of God with God's chosen people, the Jews. Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? The Gentile Christians in Paul's day were sometimes made to feel like second-class citizens around Jewish Christians. But now the mystery revealed and they are both one in Christ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charisbarak Posted November 10, 2006 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 The mystery revealed was that the Gentiles would share in being heirs in Christ with Jewish believers. What a surprise to the Gentiles telling of the love and grace of God. It was equally a surprise to the Jews--God's chosen people. After having been counted as 2nd class citizens, the gentiles were ranked as equals to the Jews in God's eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Posted November 10, 2006 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 It was God's purpose to unite all things in heaven and on earth under one head, even Christ and to include Jews and Gentiles in the promise of life and salvation. That we can alll come to God and receive grace through Him. It is that we are heirs to the promises which God gave to the Jews. They assumed that these promises wass for only them, but Praise God we christians share in the same heirship as they do. This was revealed through the Holy Spirit to Paul and then to all mankind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve.c Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? The mystery is that Gentile Christians will be treated exactly the same as God's chosen people: the Jews. Gentiles are co-heirs, members of one body and sharers together. This was important in Paul's day because Jews looked down on Gentiles and were inclined to treat them as second class citizens. Although the nucleus of the early churches were often Jewish, increasingly Gentiles were being drawn to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eudora Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? The mystery that Paul was talking about is the lesson in mystery that was shown and taught to Peter in Acts chapters 10 & 11. Cornelius had true faith in God's word, as far as he understood it. He just hadn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haar Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 The mystery? The gentiles are no longer second class citizens but are heirs together with the Jews. I am (a gentile) important to God and will share with the Jews (who accept Christ as their saviour), God's heavenly blessings, promises and glory. This mystery revealed was important to the gentiles because they were treated as second class citizen but then came the revelation that they were joint heirs with Christ together with the Jews. How exciting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiqstart Posted November 13, 2006 Report Share Posted November 13, 2006 Q2. (Ephesians 3:6) Just what is the "mystery" that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's day? It was important, so that all could know that they are God's chosen people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia A. Conti Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 The mystery reveals that the Gentiles are co-heirs with the Jews. They have the same inheritance, are in the same family of Christ, and are members of the "Body of Christ" through the power of the Holy Spirit. That God's plan is to embrace together Jew and Gentile so all may be heirs of Christ's "promise". No longr should Gentiles be considered second class citizens but are now co-heirs of Christ's "promise". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Stanley Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 NIV) It was known in the Old Testament that the Gentiles would receive salvation(Isaiah 49:6),but it was never revealed in the Old Testament that all Gentile and Jewish believers would become equal in the body of Christ.It was very important to the Gentiles in that day because now the Gentiles can receive salvation,in knowing Jesus destroyed the "dividing wall" and created the "one new man.(Ephesians 2:14-15.Christ revealed the total sinfulness of both Jews and Gentile,and then he offered his salvation to both.Only Christ breaks down the walls of prejudice,reconciles all believers to God and unifies in one body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godsanointed523 Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Just what is the mystery that Paul is talking about? Why was it important to the Gentile Christians in Paul's Day? The mystery is that the Gentiles did not know that they would have the same inheritance as the Jewish people in the New Testament.THe imporatnce of it is that they would be co-heirs of that same mystery of salvation in Christ. Both sides needed to be in one so like that they can be a family in the heavens and experience the same salvation together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda bass Posted November 17, 2006 Report Share Posted November 17, 2006 The "mystery" that Paul is talking about is that Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Gentiles are equally the people of God along with His chosen people, the Jews. This was important to Gentiles in Paul's day because during that time Gentile believers were often made to feel like second-class citizens around Jewish Christians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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